


Game Night

by Glowstickia



Series: Echoes of You [10]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Card Games, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Fluffy February 2021, Prompt Fill, Teasing, fluffy february
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-16 01:47:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29445807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Glowstickia/pseuds/Glowstickia
Summary: Ellie is sweeping the deck again in a rousing game of ‘Go Fish’ against Echo and Piper until Dogmeat drags in Nick and one of the Diamond City night shift guards. It’s okay. They brought snacks.
Relationships: Ellie Perkins/Piper Wright, Nick Valentine/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Echoes of You [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1718185
Comments: 8
Kudos: 7





	Game Night

**Author's Note:**

> Day 12 of [Fluffy February:](https://fluffyfebruary.tumblr.com/post/639602426793623552/fluffy-february-prompts) Game Night.
> 
> This one just kept going. 😂

“Got any two’s Shades?” Piper asked with narrowed eyes.

Echo checked her hand. “Nah.”

Piper sighed loudly and grabbed a card from the pile in the middle of the desk. She leaned back in her chair. “Elle, your move.”

Ellie smirked. “Hey, Piper~” she sang.

Piper held her cards close to her chest as her eyes widened in horror. “You wouldn’t dare! To your own girlfriend!”

Ellie fanned herself with her cards. “Well, I dooo believe you have some two’s I need~” Piper grumbled as she handed over the two cards from her hand. “Thank you~” Ellie sang as she placed her four, two’s on the table.

Echo snorted. “That’s rough.”

Piper shot Echo a glare while Ellie smiled at Echo. “Oh, Coco~”

Echo raised a brow as she placed her cards on the desk. “No.”

“Coco~” Ellie sang with a widening grin.

“Nuh uh.”

“I believe you have something I desire~”

“Nope.”

Ellie fluttered her lashes. “Got any sevens?”

Echo huffed, as she double checked her cards. “Maybe.”

Piper groaned as she sank into her chair. “Just give her the sevens, Shades.”

Echo pulled the seven of spades out of her cards and held it out to Ellie. “Fiiiiine.”

Ellie grinned. “Thank you~”

“Uh huh.”

Ellie tapped her chin as she looked over her cards. “Let’s see...”

The door to the agency opened with a creak. Dogmeat and his entourage arrived. Nick was carrying a very full messenger bag while Dogmeat scurried over to a corner with the large bone in his mouth. Behind him, the ever nosy, and charismatic guard Johnny had a few bags of his own.

“Sorry, I’m late.” Nick apologized as he sat the bag on one of the desks. “Ran into a bit of trouble,” he thumbed to Johnny, who was pulling out Nuka Colas from his bag.

Johnny flashed a grin. “Heard it was game night.” He nodded to the pile of cards, “Deal me in.”

Ellie raised a brow as Piper snorted. “Deal you in? For Fishing?” Ellie asked, then turned to Echo, “Also, hand over your fives.”

Echo glanced at her cards and laid them back on the table. “Fresh out.”

Ellie snapped her fingers and drew a card from the pile. 

Piper grabbed one of the Nuka Colas from Johnny’s hand. “Aren’t you night shift?”

Johnny adjusted his sunglasses. “Night off.” He waggled his brows. “Was gonna hang out at Dug Out when Nicky here looked like he could use a hand.”

Nick shook his head as he continued pulling snacks out of the bag and setting them on the desk. “More like he swooped in and bugged me for some snack cakes.”

Echo leaned back in her chair to get a better look at Nick. “Dogmeat ditched you by the butcher’s again, didn’t he.”

“Mhm.”

“Of course he did.” Echo sighed and glanced at her cards again. “Hey Piper, you owe me some Queens.”

Piper narrowed her eyes as she smacked the desk. “Hang on, when did _you_ get one?!”

“Last round.”

Piper glared at her before slapping three Queens down. “Fine. Take them.”

“Thaaaank you.” Echo slid the cards over and added the fourth Queen to the side of her deck. She smiled up over at Johnny. “You gonna pull up a chair or what?”

“Honestly, its a bit more entertaining to watch.” Johnny said as he opened his Nuka Cola and took a swig. “I take it she’s winning?” He pointed to Ellie with his bottle.

Ellie sat up a little taller. “Me? You know it.” She flashed a grin.

Nick chuckled as he handed her and Echo drinks. “What are you ladies betting on this time anyways?”

Echo turned to Piper as she grabbed her drink. “Wasn’t it losers buy lunch or something?”

Piper’s lips thinned. “No?”

“You two really need to write down what you put on the table.” Ellie said between sips. “Loser watches Nat for a week.” She pointed to Piper, “And Coco, you wanted lunch.”

Echo frowned. “Oh...right.”

Johnny plopped down between Piper and Echo in the chair he dragged over. “Oh ho, some fun rewards.” He rubbed his hands together, “How’s Nat doing by the way?”

Piper shrugged as she rearranged her cards. “She’s having a sleepover at a friend’s place tonight.”

“Arturo’s?”

Piper raised a brow as she stared at him. “Possibly...”

Nick sat down between Ellie and Echo. “Its still your turn.” He said, as he met Echo’s eyes.

She blinked. “Oh! Right.”

Echo picked up her cards and checked them close to her face even though Nick was not playing at the moment. Her lips thinned. Hm. Ace of Hearts, Eight of Spades, and two Jacks. She glanced at the back of Piper’s cards, all fresh from the pile since both herself _and_ Ellie stole the cards Piper had been trying to stockpile.

Echo glanced at Ellie as she sipped her Nuka. Echo’s lips thinned. Ellie had also cleaned out her cards and restocked after trying for sevens...

“Ellie.”

“Yes?”

“Are you hiding aces up those sleeves of yours?”

Johnny snorted beside her. Nick gave her a tired look. Echo grinned back.

Ellie rolled her eyes. “Terrible.” She slid the Ace of Diamonds over to her.

“Maybe so,” Echo added the card to her hand, “but rewarding.”

Piper laughed. “Got owned babe.”

Ellie gave her an unamused look.

Johnny leaned over and Echo instinctively leaned away.

“John.” Nick warned.

Johnny raised his hands and backed away. “Relax, I won’t bite.”

Echo’s lips thinned. “Dogmeat does.”

Dogmeat raised his head, looked around and went back to gnawing on his bone.

Ellie and Piper laughed in surprise. “Goodness.” “Damn, Shades.”

Johnny nodded slowly and quietly sipped his cola.

“Piper, got any aces?” Echo asked, trying her best to ignore how all eyes were on her.

Piper glanced at her cards. “Uh, no. No I don’t.”

“Cool.” Echo grabbed a card from the pile and placed her cards on her lap, not bothering to even look at it. 

Piper and Ellie exchanged looks. “Maybe,” Piper began as she put her cards on the table, “we should call this game and play something else?”

“Is it cause I’m winning?” Ellie said, already adding her cards on the pile in the center.

“What? Noooo,” Piper rolled her eyes, “Okay yeah, it is but that’s besides the point.”

Echo snorted and slid her cards into the pile. “Fine by me.” She sat back in her chair, “Are we switching games or-“

Piper started to shuffle the cards. She glanced at Johnny. “Well, we have too many players for Euchre.”

Johnny scratched his neck. “Could try Black Jack?” He suggested.

Ellie shook her head. “Nick counts cards.”

The ladies all looked at Nick. He coughed in his fist, while not meeting anyone’s eyes. “It just sorta...happens...”

Johnny laughed. “Fair enough. Couldn’t even be the dealer?” He shrugged. “Well, got enough decks for Caravan?”

Piper and Ellie groaned. “Not this again.” Piper placed the deck down and covered her eyes. “Too complicated.”

“Caravan?” Echo frowned, “Heard of it...”

Johnny grinned at her. “Really now?”

Echo looked up at the ceiling. “...yeah. NoOne plays it.”

Ellie and Piper stifled their laughs while Nick raised a brow at Echo.

“That friend of yours?” He asked.

Echo stared at him until it clicked. “Oh,” right she forgot, “yeah. Used to travel round with her. She’s from...Montana? I think?”

Johnny rubbed his chin. “Tall ghoul, always wearing a black cowboy hat?” He asked. Echo nodded. “Seen her around Slog a few times.”

“Wait, wait,” Piper raised her hands, “no one is a ghoul?”

Echo grinned. “Yeah, she likes the Odyssey. Thought it’d be funny to change her name in a similar fashion when Odysseus is trying to escape the Cyclops.” She sighed, “And sometimes I forget ya’ll don’t have the context.”

Ellie giggled. “That’s alright. I like hearing your stories.”

Johnny draped an arm over his chair as he tilted it and his cola back. “How’s she doing by the way?” He asked, before finishing off his drink.

Echo shrugged. “Dunno. Haven’t really seen her since we fought that deathclaw.”

Johnny covered his mouth before he could do a spit take. Ellie and Piper stared at her in surprise while Nick raised a brow.

“That same one you got your scar from?” Nick guessed. “Or was it some other deathclaw you never told me about?”

Echo elbowed him lightly as he laughed. “ _Yes_ , it was the same one. Believe it or not I don’t go fighting them on the reg.”

Johnny coughed a little. “Deathclaw? Just you and a ghoul?”

Dogmeat boofed from his corner as if to say “Excuse you. I helped.”

“Nah, Dogmeat was there too. And some folks from Quincy.” Echo said, “Though they were being chased by some raiders too. And the deathclaw was a surprise. Went after anything that moved. Ended up finishing it off 1v1 after it tore my helmet off.” She gestured to the long scar that went from her cheek up and around her eye on the right side of her face. “NoOne was hit in the chest. She survived. Barely, but she did.”

Johnny whistled. “Damn. How’d you do it?”

Echo shrugged. “Not exactly sure... Got mad and uh, the rest is a bit of a blur?”

Piper’s lips thinned. “You, don’t remember *how* you took down the deathclaw? But then how-“

“You’ve been in a fire fight before.” Echo pointed out, “Everything happens just, uh, fast and I remember my face hurting like hell after the adrenaline wore off. Besides it was probably like...how we uh, took down those ferals after we got your press parts last week.” She frowned, “Wait, was that last week?”

Johnny scratched his ear. “Almost two actually.”

Piper picked up the cards to shuffle again. “Huh...” she stared at her hands while they rearranged the deck, “was it the same when you one woman armied rescuing Nick?”

Echo felt heat rise to her cheeks. “What?”

Johnny leaned an elbow on the desk as he looked at Echo. “A one woman army huh?”

Ellie smirked at Nick. “Didn’t you say she terrified Skinny Malone?”

Nick tugged his hat down in attempts to hide his face. “I may have...” he muttered.

Piper grinned him as her hands attempted to make a bridge out of the cards. “Echo, didn’t you mentioned something about, oh, just hearing about _someone_ being in trouble and going to his rescue?”

Echo pushed her sunglasses closer to her face. “I get _lost_ frequently. Ya’ll know this.”

Ellie interlaced her fingers and propped her elbows on the desk. “Yes, but if I remember right, you didn’t know _anything_ about our dear detective.” She rested her chin on her hands, “He only told me where he’d be going.” She side eyed him, “And got in over his head again.”

Nick cleared his throat. “It’s not like I _planned_ on it, Elle.”

Johnny snorted. “Not like you’ve got a rescue kink, ey Nicky.” Four pairs of eyes were on him. Johnny’s lips thinned. “Made it too weird.” He surmised.

“Just a bit.” Piper grimaced. Her fingers fumbled and cards went flying. “Damn it.”

“Ah, so we decided on 52 pick up then?” Johnny guessed.

Echo covered her mouth in failed attempts to hold in her laughter.

“I think it’s time for a snack break.” Ellie suggested.

Johnny stood up immediately. “ _Dibs on the fancy lads!_ ”

* * *

It was late by the time the group parted ways, sometime past midnight. Piper had full intentions to spend the night over, until she realized she probably wasn’t going to get up early enough to greet Nat when her sister would be home. Ellie decided to join her.

Johnny offered to walk Echo back to her room at the Dug Out, claiming he had business there anyways. Nick, reluctantly, stayed behind.

“Somebody’s gotta clean up this mess. And besides, we know Ellie would chew me out if this is uh, still out in the morning.” Nick said, picking up the broom resting against the wall, “Go on and get some rest. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Echo’s lips thinned. “Alright...” she grabbed her bag and adjusted it on her shoulder, “but you better have run a diagnostic before I come in tomorrow.”

He smiled at her as a blue tint rose to his cheeks. “Of course.”

Johnny gave Echo a toothy grin when she met him outside. “So, you and Valentine, huh?”

Echo zipped her jacket closed and double checked that her sunglasses were still on her face. “What about it? Ellie put me in charge of making sure he doesn’t get in over his head again.” She started walking, “Believe it or not, it’s a _very_ tough job.”

Johnny pushed off the building and jogged after her. “Still, going into a Triggermen infested subway?” He clicked his tongue as he shoved his hands inside his leather jacket pockets. “That takes guts. Nick’s lucky to have a gal like you around.”

Heat rushed to her cheeks, but ignored it. She could just blame it on the cold. “Sure, let’s go with guts.”

Johnny stepped in front of Echo and, to her surprise, began walking backwards. “Got a quick little, uh, _favor_ to ask you.”

Echo raised a brow. “Uh huh.”

He waves his hand. “Relax, nothing that costs caps. Just uh, whenever you’ve got some free time...” he cleared his throat, “I’ve heard about this uh, legend of sorts. Something about the Railroad. Ever heard of them?”

Echo glanced past him. The Dug Out Inn was in sight. “Uh...maybe... why?”

“Mmm, well legend says something about following the Freedom Trail to find them, whatever that means.” He shrugged.

Echo stopped in her tracks. “The what?”

“Bonkers right? I dunno, well, anyways, have a good night _detective_ Gray. Glad to see you’re doing better.” He spun on his heels and dipped inside the Dug Out Inn, vanishing in the crowd of people.

She stared at the entrance and threw her hands in the air. “The hell does that even mean???”

**Author's Note:**

> Gosh Johnny, you didn’t even say what the favor was yet! Smh.
> 
> Got any ideas as to who “Johnny” is? ;3c  
> He also makes an appearance in [’Neon’](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26263279), and in the current WIP ‘Interview With A Piper’.


End file.
